Overview
- The 18-track album was released January 16, 2026 via Capitol Records.
- Gates marked the launch by walking for 10 hours on a specially built hamster wheel in New York City, continuing her endurance performance-art strategy.
- Critics describe a sound that blends old-school soul with 1990s hip-hop and early-2000s R&B over dusty, vinyl-textured production.
- Reviews emphasize vulnerable, intentionally imperfect vocals that channel uncertainty into momentum, resilience, and personal growth.
- The Queens artist of Colombian–Puerto Rican heritage positions I Am as a self-declarative nod to her initials, following 2025 singles including Latency, Past It, Nothing To Worry About, and Estranged.